Update – 10 April 2024
We've confirmed details of the public meeting about this consultation.
Your views sought
Ngā tāngata kaitiaki ō Te Hikutū (Te Hikutū Hapū) has applied for a mātaitai reserve (Te Mātaitai ō Te Hikutū) in the southern part of the Hokianga Harbour, Northland.
Te Hikutū Hapū and Fisheries New Zealand will hold a public meeting to discuss the application and invite submissions on the proposal from the local community.
This is the first of 2 consultations that will be held about the application.
Find out about the second consultation
What's being proposed?
The proposed mātaitai includes a portion of the southern Hokianga Harbour, from near Koutu Point to north of the Whirinaki River mouth, and includes the waterways in the Waima Forest.
The proposed area is the same as the gazetted area/rohe moana of Te Hikutū Hapū.
Consultation documents
Map of proposed mātaitai [JPG, 12 MB]
Te Mataitai o Te Hikutu application [PDF, 9.3 MB]
Public meeting
As part of this consultation, a public meeting will be held to discuss the application.
Time: 6pm.
Date: Monday 29 April 2024.
Venue: Whirinaki Trust, 23 Whirinaki School Road, Northland.
Making your submission
Submissions close at 5pm on Monday 13 May 2024.
Email your submission to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
While we prefer email, you can post your submission to:
Fisheries management – spatial allocations
Fisheries New Zealand
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140.
Public notices
Public notices notifying the local community that an application has been made and calling for submissions are scheduled to appear in the Northern Advocate and Northland Age (28 March and 11 April). Details of the 29 April 2024 public meeting are scheduled to appear in the same newspapers (11 April and 25 April).
A second consultation is planned
Following this consultation, Fisheries New Zealand will hold a second consultation.
In the second consultation, we'll invite submissions from people having a fishing interest in the stock or stocks in the proposed reserve.
We'll advertise the second consultation in the same newspapers and on this website.
About mātaitai reserves
A mātaitai reserve is an identified traditional fishing ground which tangata whenua have a special relationship with. Mātaitai reserves are limited to fisheries waters and do not include any land area. Mātaitai reserves do not change any existing arrangements for access to private land.
Mātaitai reserves also do not affect private landowners’ land titles, or their ability to exercise resource consents for such things as taking water or extracting gravel or sand. Resource consents are managed under the Resource Management Act 1991.
Mātaitai reserves do not change the existing recreational fishing rules, however, commercial fishing is banned in a mātaitai reserve.
Mātaitai reserves do not have an impact on whitebait or trout fishing.
Find out more about mātaitai reserves
Fisheries (Kaimoana Customary Fishing) Regulations 1998 – NZ Legislation
